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Pimento Cheese Bites With Cream Of Tomato Dip
by Billy Bob Thornton


The recipe below is excerpted from Hollywood Dish by Akasha Richmond.

When I catered Billy Bob Thornton's Christmas party one year, he whipped up some of his special soy — based pimento cheese sandwiches for all of us cooking in the kitchen. The following summer when I catered Billy's birthday, I made the sandwiches as an appetizer and served them with a cream of tomato dip — an idea that my friend Sergio Gomez gave me. When Emeril Lagasse made pimento cheese on his show, he told the audience that when you're in the South as a guest in someone's home, and they bring out the pimento cheese it's a special thing, so I was really honored when Billy made this dish for me.

Note: Any leftover dip, can be thinned out a bit with more soymilk and served as soup. When I cater parties I place the dip in small shot glasses or demmitasse cups, and slice the sandwiches into long strips and serve them on top of the glasses. I also like to slice a small baguette thinley and use that to make the sandwiches.


Servings: Makes 12 pimento cheese sandwiches; serves 6 as an appetizer.

Ingredients

Cream of Tomato Dip
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1 large shallot, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 can (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice, chopped (retain juice)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon fresh
2 tablespoons white rice flour
1 cup plain soymilk
1/4 cup soymilk creamer
1 teaspoon sugar, optional
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pimento Cheese Bites
1 cup grated soy or dairy cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons vegan or light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/4 cup diced pimentos, drained
1 tablespoon chopped green olives
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
6 slices spelt, whole-wheat, or sliced sourdough bread
Canola cooking spray, olive oil, or 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preparation

To make the dip, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a 4-quart soup pot. Add the onions and shallots, and sauté until softened and clear, about 8 minutes. Add the salt, tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato paste, broth, bay leaf, basil, and thyme. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes.

Mix the rice flour with the soymilk and the soy creamer. Whisk into the tomato mixture and simmer 5 minutes more. Remove the bay leaf.

Puree the dip in 2 batches in a blender until smooth and creamy. At this point, taste the soup. If you think it needs to be sweeter, add the sugar, then season to taste with freshly ground pepper.

To make the Pimento Cheese Bites, mix the cheese, mayonnaise, green onion, pimento, olives, salt, pepper, and red pepper sauce in a small bowl. Divide equally among 3 slices of the bread and top with the remaining bread slices. Heat a 10- or 12-inch non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Spray with the cooking spray. If you're not watching your fat grams, add a tablespoon of the nonhydrogenated soy spread to the pan. Cook the sandwiches on each side until browned and cheese has melted. Add more spray or soy spread as you go along. Cut into quarters and serve with the dip.

Fried Neopolitan Pizzas
By Sophia Loren


Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 3 hr (includes dough rising)

Servings: Makes 4 servings.


Ingredients

For crust
1 (1/4-oz) package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water (105-115°F)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional for kneading and dusting
About 5 cups olive oil

For tomato sauce and toppings
1/4 cup olive oil
5 garlic cloves, 2 crushed and 3 minced
2 lb plum tomatoes, halved, seeded, and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 oz fresh mozzarella (not unsalted), cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or loosely packed small whole basil leaves

Special equipment: a deep-fat thermometer

Preparation

Make dough for crust:
Stir together yeast and water in a measuring cup and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
Stir together salt and 1 cup flour in a large bowl, then add yeast mixture and 1 tablespoon olive oil and stir until smooth. Stir in just enough remaining flour (1/4 to 1/2 cup) for dough to come away from side of bowl.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead, sprinkling with just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, until smooth, soft, and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Dust dough all over with flour and put in a bowl. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Make sauce and assemble toppings while dough rises:
Heat oil (1/4 cup) in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat until hot, then cook crushed garlic, stirring, until pale golden, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and increase heat to moderately high, then cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl. Discard crushed garlic if desired.

Put cheeses, basil, and minced garlic in separate bowls and keep, covered, at room temperature until ready to use.

Fry dough:
Heat 1 inch oil in a deep 12- to 13-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until it registers 350°F on thermometer.

While oil heats, divide dough into 8 portions and stretch each portion with floured hands, pressing on work surface, to form 4-inch rounds (don't worry if they are irregularly shaped).

Fry rounds 2 at a time, turning over once with tongs, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per batch, and transfer to a paper-towel-lined platter to drain. (Return oil to 350°F between batches.)

Spread each fried dough round with some sauce and sprinkle with toppings. Pizza should be eaten immediately, folded in half.

Tuscan Beef Stew With Polenta
by Debi Mazar

When making this rich dish, Mazar likes to multiply the recipe by one and a half. Leftovers can be quickly heated and served over pasta for an easy, delicious weeknight dinner.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 2 hours

Servings: Makes 4 to 6 servings


Ingredients

For stew
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, cut into medium dice
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 stalks celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 pounds stew beef, such as boneless chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 1/2 cups dry red wine
8 sprigs fresh thyme
3 medium tomatoes, halved
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For polenta
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups vegetable stock or broth
1 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal)

Preparation

Make stew
In heavy, large saucepan over moderately high heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add onion, carrot, and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add beef and sauté, stirring occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add wine and thyme, stir well, and bring to boil. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper, then lower heat to moderately low, cover, and simmer, stirring every 15 minutes, until beef is tender, about 2 hours.

While beef is simmering, make polenta
Pour olive oil into large serving bowl and swirl to coat. Set aside.

In heavy, large pot over moderately high heat, bring stock to boil. Lower heat to moderate and slowly add polenta, stirring constantly. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until polenta thickens and pulls away from sides of pan, about 10 minutes. Transfer to oil-coated serving bowl and keep warm.

Serve
When beef is tender, use tongs to remove tomato skins (if desired) and thyme sprigs. Transfer stew to large serving bowl. Serve polenta alongside.

Cook's note: If you're short on time, instant polenta can be substituted for regular. The cooking method will be the same, but it should be ready in about 3 minutes.

Jessica Alba's Chicken Enchiladas

Servings: Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients

4 cups chicken stock
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 5 oz each), cut into strips
1 jalapeño pepper
1 clove garlic
1 jar (12 oz) salsa
1 cup shredded lowfat cheddar
1/2 cup shredded lowfat Monterey Jack
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 can (2.25 oz) sliced black olives, drained
1 can (16 oz) traditional enchilada sauce
1 can (16 oz) green chile enchilada sauce
Mexican hot sauce
Cayenne pepper
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
8 corn tortillas (6 inches across)

Preparation

Heat oven to 425°. In a medium pot, boil stock, chicken, jalapeño and garlic 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Strain chicken, run cold water over it and shred into a bowl. Mix in salsa and set aside. In a separate bowl, combine cheddar, 1/4 cup Monterey Jack, cilantro and olives; set aside. In a large pot over medium heat, combine enchilada sauces and add Mexican hot sauce and cayenne to taste. Stir until simmering. Set aside. Coat an 11" x 13" casserole pan with nonstick spray. Microwave tortillas 20 seconds. Place small handfuls of cheese mixture and chicken in center of each tortilla, roll up and place in pan, seam side down. Sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture. Ladle on sauce, then add remaining 1/4 cup Monterey Jack. Bake 20 minutes. Serve with remaining sauce on the side.

Nutritional information

Nutritional analysis per serving 528 calories, 14.3 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 47.7 g carbohydrates, 52.1 g protein, 7.9 g fiber

Amy Sedaris's Vanilla Cupcakes

Servings: Makes 24 cupcakes.

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups milk
Recipe for Amy Sedaris's Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

Ingredients

1 box confectioners' sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract*
1/4 cup milk or light cream
food coloring (optional)

*Less than 1 teaspoon pure almond extract can be substituted.
preparation

In a bowl combine: one box of confectioners' sugar, one stick of unsalted butter, one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup of milk or light cream and beat for a while. Really whip it, don't be afraid to get in there. I occasionally add food coloring and sometimes substitute pure almond extract for vanilla.

If you do choose to add pure almond extract instead of vanilla, you're on your own. I don't know the measurement for it, but I do know it's less than the amount of vanilla you would add.

Preparation for the Vanilla Cupcakes

Turn oven on to 375 degrees F.

Put butter in mixer and beat at medium speed until somewhat smooth. Pour in sugar and beat well. Add 2 eggs. I like to crack the eggs on the side of the bowl while it is moving, which can be really stupid. I like to take chances. Yes, I have had to throw away my batter because I lost eggshells in the mix. Yes, it was a waste of food and yes, I know how expensive butter is, but what can I say? I'm a daredevil. Mix well. Add: vanilla, baking powder, salt, flour, and milk. Beat until it looks like it is supposed to and pour into individual baking cups, until they are about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Should produce 24 cupcakes; I get 18 because I'm doing something wrong, although my cupcakes were voted second best in the city by New York Magazine.

Frost with Amy Sedaris's Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.

Katharine Hepburn's Brownies


Preparation

1. Melt together 1 stick butter and 2 squares unsweetened chocolate and take the saucepan off the heat.

2. Stir in 1 cup sugar, add 2 eggs and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and beat the mixture well.

3. Stir in 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. (In the original recipe, 1 cup chopped walnuts is added here as well.)

4. Bake the brownies in a buttered and floured 8-inch-square pan at 325°F for about 40 minutes.

You can cut these brownies into squares, once they have cooled, and eat them out of the pan, but it is so much nicer to pile them on a fancy plate, from which people are going to eat them with their hands anyway. If you want to smarten up your act you can put a square of brownie on a plate with a little blob of créme fraîche and a scattering of shaved chocolate.